Tailor-Made Induction Therapy in ‘Low Risk’ Renal Transplants; A South Asian Perspective

Induction therapy has established itself as an integral component of modern-day renal transplantation. Carefully selected induction therapy helps not only to avoid early rejection of grafts but also allows grafts with delayed function to recover prior to introduction of potentially nephrotoxic immunosuppressants. While the place of induction therapy and reduction in early acute rejection is well established, its overall impact on long-term graft and patient survival is still unclear, especially in the ‘lowrisk' transplant recipient. Considering the substantial initial costs of induction therapy and their potential adverse reactions, transplant clinicians in developing countries have had to weigh the true advantages in induction against affordability and sustainability in the ‘free' state health care systems. This review looks at the place of induction therapy in the current clinical setting with special emphasis on the ‘low-risk' transplant candidates in limited resource settings.